Alternative5: Ghost Magnet

Melodic/Progressive Rock/Metal

3.5/5.0

I can't tell you much about Alternative5. There's four guys in the band. They play a hybrid of melodic and progressive rock. Ghost Magnet is their third album. And they're from Spain. Oh yeah, the do Queen covers. For all I know they're bigger than Elvis over there.

Alternative5: minus one.

While this is, generally, an interesting listen, the first thing I had to overcome was the vocals. Fernando Leal has this nearly raw straining delivery, with something between an angry and depressing timbre. Others might simply call him passionate and emotional. But it did not make for an easy listen. The music itself has a similar character, somewhere between somber and dark foreboding. It's as moody as Leal's vocals which, I suppose, makes a perfect fit. I'm guessing also, perhaps, he writes both lyrics and music, and so writes for himself. But that's all speculation.

Regarding the music and the songs, aside from the vocals, I was rather ambivalent to the first several songs, finding more interest beginning with Invisible War and One Simple Idea. Some of this came from subtle, but significant, keyboard contributions, but also Luismi Tormo's rather skillful drumming, one of the highlights of the album. After this, the lightly technical twists and turns within the arrangements brought some more intrigue. The Shaft of Secrets and Revolutionizing the Future are two of the strongest songs integrate all these characteristics. On the former, Leal dials back a little on his grating vocal timbre, having a more pleasing delivery. The latter song shows the depth of his guitar work with sharp riffs and a razor solo. Across the album, that guitar work is his greatest strength. It makes me wonder if Leal shouldn't simply step away from the microphone and the band hire somebody else to sing. It also makes me wonder how the band does Queen covers as I can't imagine Leal sounding one bit like Freddie. Regardless, Ghost Magnet is interesting progressive rock. Listen to the cut below and decide for yourself.

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